India-rubber and like ball



June 25, 1935. 0 J DOBBINS 2,006,230

INDIA RUBBER AND LIKE BALL Filed April 19, 1955 Patented June 25, 1935 IN BIA-RUBBER AND LIKE BALL Edward John Dobbins, London, England, as-

signor'to' Googly Limited, London, England,

' a British company Application April 19, 1933, Serial No. 666,815

. In Great Britain 4 Claims.

the term bouncing ball", as used in this specification andithe claimais meanta ball that has high resilience and, at the sametime, is easily deformable, so that it will bounce effectively upon even .comparativelysoftsurfaces such as carpeted floors. The term doesnot include balls of materials such as steel and ivory or balls such 'as golf balls for, though these are resilient, they are not easily deformable and therefore will bounce: effectively .only' on surfaces of the same order of hardness. Y

The object of the present invention is to produce a. bouncing ball which will bounce from a surface in a manner not normally to be expected.

The unexpected character of the rebound of a ball in accordance with the present invention is in part, at least, and may be wholly due to its being so constructed that it is more easily deformed by impact in certain radial directions than in others. Preferably the centre of gravity of the ball coincides with its centre but this is not essential.

The object of the present invention is achieved by constructing the ball in such a way that the flattened area of impact with the ground will frequently include areas of different ease of deformation.

The accompanying diagrammatic drawing will illustrate several forms of ball and their method of construction according to the present invention.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 are diametrical sectional views of three balls illustrating one method of manufacture of a ball in accordance with the invention;

Figures 4, 5, and 6 each illustrate in elevation a modified construction of ball;

Figures 7 and 8 are two diametrical sectional views of moulds and of the casts therein illustrating a further method of manufacture;

Figures 9 and 10 are two views of a further form of ball;

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic sectional view, and Figure 12 is an elevation in plan with respect to Figure 11 showing a ball having hollows therein.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2, and 3, a ball A of fairly hard rubber and a ball B of softer sponge rubber are each cut into quadrants by vertical cuts m 12 and horizontal cuts a b respectively. Two quadrants A A from the ball A are then assembled with two quadrants B B, from the ball B with the quadrants B B November 14, 1932 separated by the quadrants A ,-A 1 These quadrants are attached together in this assembled position by rubber solution. and the assembled quadrants are then placed in a mould and the rubber solution is vulcanized. A ball made in 5 this way will rebound from the floor or'other hard surface to different extents according to which quadrant strikes the floor or other surface and if the ball strikes thelfloor at or adjacent to a line of junction between two quadrants the ball 10 will. rebound at anyunexpected angleflIt will of course be understood that two'assembled balls will be formed from'the balls A, B. Instead of :forming completeballs A, B, cutting themdnto quadrants, and then reassembling the parts, the parts may be moulded initially in the form of quadrants.

In the modification shown in Figure 4 a disc or annulus C has attached to it, one on each side thereof, two segments C C to complete the 20 spherical shape of the ball. The disc or annulus C is preferably of harder rubber than the segments although it may be of softer rubber and the segments may be of the same or different degrees of hardness or density. A ball of this kind can also be made by cutting up complete balls or by moulding the parts separately in the desired form and then assembling them and securing them together. l

In the modification shown in Figure 5 the ball comprises a core D having segments D D D secured thereto.

Figure 6 illustrates 'a ball comprising irregularly shaped pieces of rubber E embedded in softer or harder rubber E during the moulding operation. In this method of manufacture it is dimcult to use sponge rubber but other kinds of rubber can be used and the two or more different kinds of rubber must be kept separate and not mixed in the mould. 1 1

According to the method of manufacture illus trated in Figures 7 and 8, a ball or core F is made ,in a mould F the said mould-having internal projections F forming corresponding depressions at suitable positions in the surface of the ball or core F. The ball or core F is then placed in a second mould H and the depressions F are filled with a harder or softer rubber F and a completely spherical shape is imparted to theball. The parts F may be vulcanized in the mould H.

The modification shown in Figures 9 and 10 may be made by moulding a ball J with a hole J diametrically therethrough or the ball J may be formed complete and the hole J cut out thereafter. The hole J is then filled with a harder or softer rubber and moulded and may be vulcanized.

Figures 11 and 12 illustrate a further modification in which a core K is formed with hollows K K and the core is provided with an outer rubber or canvas and rubber cover K The hollows K K may contain suitable inflating gas or other material. The ball will be more resilient or softer adjacent to the hollows than at other parts and will thus provide the varying degrees and angles of rebound. I

Whilst various forms of balls and methods of manufacture thereof have been described above it will be understood that these are merely examples of numerous forms and methods which canbe used.

Any appropriate or artistic representation may be applied to the surface of the ball; for example,

clearly distinguishable colours may be applied to the zones or such ornamentation may be used to. conceal the possiblevarieties of texture of which the ball may be composed.

. A ball made according to the invention is capable of providing considerable amusement and exercise by reason of the extent and direction of its rebound being unknown and consequently necessitating co-ordination between the eyes and the muscles and rapid movement when catching the rebounding ball.

What I claim as my invention and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A spherical bouncing ball having high resilience and being easily deformable so that it will bounce effectively upon even comparatively soft surfaces and comprising at least one part of sponge rubber and at least one other part of hard rubber which parts are in such positions that the ball is more easily deformable by impact in certain radial directions than in others while bouncing effectively as a result of impact in all radial directions so that it is -capablo f 01'} rebounding at various unexpected angles and canbe' rapidly I bounced and caught by the hand.

- 2. A rubber ball as in the preceding claim in which one part is a disc or annulus of rubber and there are two otherparts consisting of segments of rubber ofhardness'diiferent from that of the disc and securedone to each side of the disc or annulus. i

I 3. A spherical play ball, the body of which is divided into-a'plurality of portions made of a plurality of different materials, one of these materials being highly resilient relative to another,

and said'portionsbe'ing arranged in symmetrical EDWARD Join: DOBBINS. 

